OCOM’s new campus represents more than just a move to a new location – positioning the school in downtown Portland is an important strategic initiative essential to meeting the long-term vision and needs of the college.

Founded in 1983, and with more than 1,050 graduates to date, OCOM has quickly outgrown our outer Southeast campus. Increased — and growing — interest in our degree programs in acupuncture and Oriental medicine is at the root of our move to Old Town Chinatown. A single-purpose professional graduate school, the college offers two graduate degrees: master’s and doctorate degrees in acupuncture and Oriental medicine.

The Master of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (MAcOM) degree is an entry to the profession for individuals seeking to practice acupuncture and Oriental medicine. It is designed to train competent, highly skilled health care practitioners and to provide the foundation for ongoing study and development in the field.

The Doctor of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (DAOM) degree program provides an opportunity for practicing acupuncturists to gain in-depth knowledge of advanced topics in both Oriental medicine and Western medicine. The heart of doctoral education at OCOM is the development of lifelong learners and scholars.

The new building will provide both master’s and doctoral students a state-of-the art academic, clinical and research facility, and will double our teaching and classroom space. Relocation has the added benefit of providing exciting opportunities for students, faculty and staff to share the healing potential of Chinese medicine beyond OCOM’s doors. Students can also engage with a number of other higher education institutions, including the University of Oregon’s campus next door.

One of the city’s key urban renewal revitalization areas, Old Town Chinatown has undergone a vibrant renaissance over the past many years, adding a number of long-standing Oregon institutions to the neighborhood. Like OCOM, many are there to engage Portland and each other in innovative ways that support the greater health of the community.

In anticipation of the September move, OCOM has partnered with neighborhood organizations to bring healing to the heart of the city in a number of ways:

• Working with the NW China Council, OCOM will offer students evening Chinese language classes in our ground floor “great room” beginning this fall.
• In September, OCOM will provide free acupuncture treatments and qigong at the annual Under the Autumn Moon festival, as we have done for the last three years.
• OCOM speakers will continue to offer free lectures at the Lan Su Chinese Garden on topics ranging from Chinese medicine, traditional herbs and food, to Chinese history and culture through October.

We look forward to expanding our community partnerships with neighbors like Central City Concern, Mercy Corps, University of Oregon, NW China Council, Oregon Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association, Neikki Legacy Endowment and others, once downtown.